100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

November 18, 1915:

North Sea:
Trawler Edward B. Cargill, 182 tons, hits a mine and sinks off Spurn Point.

Norwegian freighter SS San Miguel, 1,659 tons, travelling from Marseille to Stavanger, is lost after hitting a drifting mine.



Atlantic Ocean:
American schooner SV Fairfield, 478 tons, carrying guano from Charleston to Port De France, runs aground at Barbuda and is lost.



Mediterranean Sea:
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, begins his fifth war patrol with the sinking of British freighter SS Enosis, 3,409 tons, bound from Barry to Malta with a load of coal. Gansser's score is now 27 ships and 72,269 tons.

[Jimbuna]

19th November 1915

Southern Front

"Pacific Blockade" of Greece proclaimed by the Allies.

Naval and Overseas Operations

More British submarines enter the Baltic.

Political etc.

Lord Derby, the Director-General of Recruitment, warns that conscription will be implemented if bachelors do not enlist.

Earl Kitchener confers with Allied commanders in Thessalonica, Greece and then travels to Athens to meet with King Constantine.

London issues order curtailing the sale of liquor to 5 and a half hours on weekdays and 5 hours on Sundays.

German lies about India contradicted by India Office.

German proclamations being sent to India through Shanghai, urging Moslems to Holy War.

Ship Losses:

HMT Falmouth III ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in the English Channel of Dover, Kent with the loss of seven of her crew.
Hallamshire ( United Kingdom): The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) south west by south of Cerigotto, Greece (35°38′N 23°01′E) by SM U-34 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.
San Miguel ( Norway): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea. Her 25 crew were rescued by the trawler Viceroy ( United Kingdom).
Senju Maru ( Japan): The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Malta (35°26′N 16°23′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine) with the loss of all hands.

[Sailor Steve]

November 19, 1915:

Air War:
"The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross to Squadron-Commander Richard Bell Davies, D.S.O., R.N., and of the Distinguished Service Cross to Flight Sub-Lieutenant Gilbert Formby Smylie, R.N., in recognition of their behaviour in the following circumstances:—
On the 19th November these two officers carried out an air attack on Ferrijik Junction. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Smylie's machine was received by very heavy fire and brought down. The pilot planed down over the station, releasing all his bombs except one, which failed to drop, simultaneously at the station from a very low altitude. Thence he continued his descent into the marsh. On alighting he saw the one unexploded bomb, and set fire to his machine, knowing that the bomb would ensure its destruction. He then proceeded towards Turkish territory. At this moment he perceived Squadron-Commander Davies descending, and fearing that he would come down near the burning machine and thus risk destruction from the bomb, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Smylie ran back and from a short distance exploded the bomb by means of a pistol bullet. Squadron-Commander Davies descended at a safe distance from the burning machine, took up Sub-Lieutenant Smylie, in spite of the near approach of a party of the enemy, and returned to the aerodrome, a feat of airmanship that can seldom have been equalled for skill and gallantry."

This was the first air combat rescue in history. Davies was flying a single-seat Nieuport 10. Smylie had to crawl under the instrument panel and around the controls into the seatless front cockpit, which had a panel over it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bell_Davies




English Channel:
His Majesty's Trawler Falmouth III hits a mine laid by Herbert Pustkuchen in UC-5, bringing his score to 16 ships and 20,213 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, sinks Japanese freighter Senju Maru, 4,340 tons, bound from Philadelphia to Vladivostok with a cargo of railway supplies. The cause of the sinking is not immediately known to the Allies and the ship is listed as missing with all hands. Gansser's score is now 28 ships and 76,609 tons.

Claus Rücker, in U-34, sinks British freighter SS Hallamshire, 4,420 tons, carrying a cargo of coal from Cardiff to Milos. His score is now 14 ships and 38,437 tons.



Canada:
Canadian Schooner James U. Thomas, 80 tons, runs aground off Whitehead Harbour, Nova Scotia.



United States:
American schooner F.A. Allen, 462 tons, is wrecked in the Delaware River while sailing from Philadelphia to Calais, Maine.

Canadian Schooner H.S.M., 139 tons, carrying a load of lumber from Liverpool, Nova Scotia to Boston, is wrecked at Galloupes' Point, Massachussetts.

[Jimbuna]

20th November 1915

Southern Front

Italian troops bombard and attack Austro-Hungarian lines near Gorizia. Hand-to-hand fighting occurs with limited Italian gains.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Germans in strong force in East Africa.

Political etc.

Greek King and Government give Lord Kitchener assurances that Greece would never attack Allied troops.

Russia agrees not to send troops to Tehran, Persia in return for improved security and anti-German measures in the country.

German media denies that the Allied blockade is causing food scarcity in the country, calling such claims “clumsy inventions.”

Ship Losses:

Merganser ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) west north west of Gozo, Malta (36°30′N 13°00′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

November 20, 1915:

Mediterranean Sea:
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, sinks British freighter SS Merganser, 1,905 tons, bound from Clyde to Alexandria with a cargo of coal. Gansser now has 29 ships and 78,514 tons.



United States:
American motor vessel Edith G., 5 tons, anchors near the Lynn Canal at Cape St. Elias, Alaska after suffering engine problems. A heavy sea causes the small vessel to drag her anchor and become stranded. The two crew members are rescued.




I somehow missed the first air combat rescue, which took place on the 19th. My previous entry has been amended to show this action.

[Jimbuna]

21st November 1915

Eastern Front

Great shortage of arms, munitions and uniforms in Russia.

Southern Front

German troops capture the city of Novi Pazar,Serbia, less than 25 miles away from the Montenegrin border.

Serbians driven from last positions in Old Serbia.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Prince Firman Firma, Minister of Interior, takes measures to put end to German activities in Persia.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Tibati (Cameroons) occupied by Allies.

Political etc.

Britain and France threatens a commercial blockade of Greece in order to pressure the country to accede to Allied demands.

German government creates a new department to deal with questions pertaining to economic conditions during wartime.

French government institutes a fine of 5000 Francs for cases of illegal increase in price or speculation of food supplies.

French wounded at the Ris-Orangis Military Hospital go on a hunger strike to protest a new official decision forbidding war souvenirs.

The Endurance, Sir Shackleton’s ship for the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, sinks under the ice.

[Sailor Steve]

November 21, 1915:

Pacific Ocean:
Chilean barque Phönizia, 690 tons, carrying a load of lumber from Calbuco to Los Vilos, founders and sinks eight miles south of Puerto Oscuro, Chile.



Weddell Sea, Antarctica:
The remains of British exploration ship SS Endurance sink beneath the ice in Vahsel Bay. Originally built as a combined sail-and-steam cruise ship specially designed for carrying tourists to hunt polar bears, and named Polaris, she has a total hull thickness of more than four feet. The Norwegian builders eventually sold the ship to Ernest Shackleton for exploring the polar areas. The ship has been stuck in the ice since January 19th.

[Jimbuna]

22nd November 1915

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Battle of Ctesiphon (25 miles south of Baghdad). Turks beaten, not routed. 1,300 prisoners; British casualties one-third of force.

Revolt of Persian Gendarmerie organised by German minister.

Naval and Overseas Operations

General Sir H. Smith-Dorrien appointed Commander-in-Chief of British forces in East Africa [Did not take over command owing to illness.]
http://www.dacorumheritage.org.uk/ar...-of-le-cateau/

Germany offers to pay $575,000 for American lives lost on the Lusitania, which amounts to $5000 per person.

Political etc.

Suspension of the London newspaper “The Globe” ends after it prints a story retracting a story of Kitchener’s resignation.

Britain denies German accusations that it is using hospital ships other than for its intended purposes.

Large crowds in Toronto, Canada greet the return of 150 wounded soldiers, many who were part of the first Canadian contingent.

German government warns Greece that unless they disarm Serbian and Allied troops crossing the border, it will not respect Greek neutrality.

Ottoman Empire executes 11 people in Beirut on charges of conspiring to launch an Arab revolt.

Ship Losses:

Ukraina ( Russia): The sailing vessel was sunk in the Black Sea by SM UC-13 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

November 22, 1915:

North Sea:
Norwegian freighter SS Sara, 1,033 tons, carrying pit props from Göteborg to Sunderland, runs aground on Hendon Rock in the fog and is wrecked. The crew are all rescued by a tug.



Black Sea:
Johannes Kirchner, commanding UC-13, sinks Russian sailing vessel Ukraina, 150 tons, with his 3.7cm machine gun. Kirchner also attacks freighter SS Rostov, 1,280 tons, but the much larger steel ship is only damaged. His score is now 2 vessels and 187 tons.



United States:
American schooner SV Shenandoah, 3,154 tons, carrying a load of coal, founders off Fire Island, New York.

[Jimbuna]

23rd November 1915

Eastern Front

Russians successful in struggle for Tsarzemunde (Riga front).

Russian troops capture the first line of German trenches west of Dvinsk (Daugavpils) and halt German offensives southwest of the city.

Southern Front

Fall of Mitrovitsa and Prishtina (keys of plain of Kosovo). Germans claim 17,000 prisoners and 35 guns. Serbians driven west from Kosovo Plateau.

French capture Brusnik and protect Krivolak from Bulgar bombardment.

Austrians evacuate Mori and Rovereto (Trentino) and ask for German help on Isonzo.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Operations about Yaunde (Cameroons) by English and French contingents. Enemy losses heavy.

Political etc.

Lord Kitchener tells Greek officials that Britain will have 4 million soldiers under arms by next March and that Germany will be defeated.

General Joffre urges British troops to quit the Dardanelles and focus on reinforcing Serbia.

Ship Losses:

Marusja Raja ( Russia): The sailing vessel was sunk in the Black Sea off Sotschi by SM UC-13 ( Kaiserliche Marine).
Unione ( Italy): The sailing vessel was sunk in the Adriatic Sea (41°46′N 19°32′E) by SM U-16 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

November 23, 1915:

Black Sea:
Johannes Kirchner, commanding UC-16, sinks Russian sailing vessel Marusja Rafa, 200 tons, with his 3.7 cm machine gun. His final score is 3 ships and 387 tons.



Mediterranean Sea:
Konrad Gansser, in U-33, attacks French freighter SS Tafna, 1,444 tons, with his deck gun. The damaged ship escapes.



Greek barque SV Calliroi, 538 tons, bound from Algiers to Marseille with a load of charcoal, runs aground and is wrecked at Cap Djinet, 30 miles east of Algiers.



Adriatic Sea:
Orest Ritter von Zopa, commanding Austrian submarine U-16, sinks Italian sailing vessel Unione, 25 tons.

[Jimbuna]

24th November 1915

Eastern Front

Russians turn German left flank by capture of Yanopol, north of Illukst (Dvina); Germans abandon salient.

Southern Front

Serbian Government moved to Skutari (Albania).

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Marshal von der Goltz takes command Mesopotamia.

Political etc.

Permanent organisation of Allied countries for supply of munitions announced by M. Thomas.

France summons 400,000 conscripts of the class of 1917, ages 18 to 19, to report for training.

Chancellor of the Exchequer McKenna: “Long before British money runs short, the supply of German men will be exhausted.”

The Hamburg America Line, a shipping company, admits it spent $1.5 million to aid German raiding ships.

Greece agrees that it will not disarm any Allied soldiers that crosses its borders in their retreat from Serbia.

Ship Losses:

Daldorch ( United Kingdom): The cargo ship was driven ashore at Southport, Lancashire. She was refloated on 1 December.
Liguria ( Italy): The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea south of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (42°00′N 3°59′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine). Her crew took to the lifeboats but were not seen again.
HMT Ruby ( Royal Navy): The naval trawler was wrecked in Grandes Bay, Crete, Greece.

[Sailor Steve]

November 24, 1915:

North Sea:
Swedish freighter SS Sven, 696 tons, carrying a load of pig iron from Middlesbrough to Malmö, is listed as missing.



Mediterranean Sea:
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, captures and sinks Italian freighter SS Liguria, 3,199 tons, bound from Norfolk, Virginia to Portoferraio, on the island of Elba with a cargo of coal. Gansser's score is now 30 ships and 83,618 tons.



His Majesty's Trawler Ruby is wrecked at Gandes Bay, Crete.



Canada:
Chilean barque SV Carelmapu, 1,447 tons, sailing in ballast from Caleta Buena to Puget Sound, is forced ashore in a storm in Schooner Cove on Vancouver Island. Lifeboats capsize in the storm and only the captain and three sailors are saved. Despite rescue attempts by the captain and crew of SS Princess Maquinna, twenty of the crew are lost.

[Jimbuna]

25th November 1915

Southern Front

Salonika to be base of Allied operations.

Reply of Greek Government concurred in Allied Note.

British aircraft bomb Constantinople-Dedeagach railway.

Turkish activity in Gallipoli.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British retirement from Ctesiphon to Kut via Azizia.

Political etc.

London trade unionists protest tighter liquor laws: “No beer before dinner, no work before dinner!”

New recruiting campaign in Australia. Mr. Hughes, the Premier, announces voluntary enlistment will be adhered to; very successful results.

Hellen Keller urges President Wilson to broker a peace in Europe. “I beseech you to help stop this war.”

Einstein's theory of general relativity is formulated.

Ship Losses:

Algerien ( France): The cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 27 nautical miles (50 km) north north west of San Pietro Island, Italy (39°22′N 7°54′E) by SM U-33 ( Kaiserliche Marine).

[Sailor Steve]

November 25, 1915:

Air War:
Austrian pilot Mathias Bernath, flying Fokker A.III 03.51 (formerly German E.I 64/15), shoots down a Russian-flown Maurice Farman MF.11 for his first victory. This is shared with an Albatros B.I, but no record is given of the crew.



Mediterranean Sea:
Konrad Gansser, commanding U-33, sinks French freighter SS Algerien, 1,703 tons, bound from Marseille to Tunis with a general cargo. One lifeboat lands safely, eight of its occupants surviving and one not. The other 29 crew members are lost. Gansser's score is now 32 ships and 85,321 tons.